Spectrum Monitoring

Technology Overview

The Key Bridge Wideband Spectrum Monitoring System is an integrated spectrum capture,
monitoring and data management solution that transforms off-air data into meaningful,
actionable information in near real-time.

System Overview.

Spectrum Monitoring supports a variable sized constellation of intelligent spectrum
sensors for data collection that may be permanently or intermittently con-
nected to the Network. Sensors may be remotely deployed and connected over any standard
TCP/IP network including cable, fiber, remote dial up and 3G cellular, to provide
high performance remote signal monitoring and near real-time carrier detection
– within a building, city-wide, or across an entire theater of operation.

The Key Bridge Wideband Spectrum Monitoring system is built around a custom
developed, network-aware, digital RF sensing system with frequency coverage of 5 MHz to 2,500
MHz, enabling for rapid identification of fixed and transient signals in most all commercially
and tactically relevant parts of the spectrum. The system seamlessly merges the capabilities of
high-performance spectrum analysis with a geographically distributed intelligent sensor net-
work.

Private versus Leased & Managed Configurations

End-to-end systems are typically required when the information must remain
private or secure. If your information security profile permits cloud-based
operations and shared infrastructure then a managed, leased system may
offer a compelling alternative.

Popular with commercial and enterprise users, a Key Bridge managed, leased spectrum
monitoring system can help companies reduce start-up and ongoing expenses and
allow rapid access to critical spectrum data that they need without the operational
overhead of running a dedicated sensor network.

Features & Capabilities

Distributed Intelligence with Central Analysis and Control

Key Bridge custom developed spectrum sensors are low-cost intelligent network appliances
with local spectrum processing and analysis capability. Our radio frequency monitoring and
carrier detection system emphasizes low-cost, high performance general processing power and
places resources close the data acquisition source. Internal storage allows rapid deployment or
expansion into new geographic areas of interest, whereby sensing system may be deployed
immediately and then synchronized days, weeks or months later with no loss of data while
the network infrastructure catches up.

Centralized analysis and control.

Support for Multiple Wideband RF Sensors

Modern wireless transmitters may operate with lower power, higher frequencies and wider sig-
nal bandwidths than before. New cognitive and software defined radios can be frequency agile,
finding and transmitting in channels across a wide spectrum, while RF propagation
characteristics may create hidden nodes that are not be detectable at a receiver’s location.

These trends require a new approach to spectrum monitoring, carrier detection and transmitter
identification where receivers must be both located closer to the transmitter and distributed
across geographic areas of interest. The Key Bridge Wideband Spectrum Monitoring
System provides an affordable turn-key solution for these unique challenges.

Key Bridge Wideband Spectrum Monitoring System enables you to make informed
choices and better plan your own deployments.

Fixed and Mobile Multi-Sensor Networks

Captured spectrum data is automatically geo-tagged whenever the optional GPS receiver is
attached to the RF sensor. Combined with the device’s internal storage and persistent
configuration, the system supports mobile sensing and on-the-move survey applications out-of-the-box
and with no additional configuration required.

If desired, a local computer can directly interface with the device to view spectrum survey data
and receive alerts in near real-time. Data is recorded and automatically synchronized with the
System Manager when network connectivity is reestablished.

Intelligent Analysis

Automated Carrier Detection and Identification

Automated carrier detection

Continuous and transient candidate signals are automatically identified and marked for
inspection in near real-time. When connected to a network, the SM 3500 system attempts
to match detected signals with ITU allocation type and known entities in the licensed
or unlicensed transmitter database.

The obvious benefits of sustained monitoring are often not realized as spectrum analyzers are
prohibitively expensive, not network aware, and cannot be easily installed or controlled
remotely. Key Bridge solves this problem with a custom-developed, low-cost, network-enabled
intelligent receiver that leverages local processing and storage with central management,
analysis and control.

Desktop & Remote Client

Local plus Remote Monitoring and Control

Desktop user interface

The spectrum sensor is designed to simplify a technician’s task load while ensuring reliable,
high-performance data acquisition at minimal cost. It has no front panel controls and is fully
capable of independent, un-tethered operation.

Key Bridge provides a fully-functional desktop application for individual
sensor control and out-of-box configurations. Once deployed in the field a sensor
is capable of autonomous, independent operation and can be securely managed
and controlled remotely.

Technical Specifications

The system’s modular design creates an affordable entry point that easily
scales to support high-availability, load balancing and fail-over redundancy.

The spectrum sensor is designed to simplify a technician’s task load
while ensuring reliable, high-performance data acquisition at minimal cost.
It has no front panel controls and is fully capable of independent,
un-tethered operation out of the box.

Parameter

Specification

Frequency Coverage

5 MHz to 2,500 MHz

Span Width

1 MHz to 1,250 MHz

Resolution Bandwidth

0.01 MHz to 1 MHz

RF Sensitivity

Greater than -85 dBm typical

Reference Levels

-10 dBm to -50 dBm

Dynamic Range

40 dB

Receiver Accuracy

+/- 1 dB typical

Frequency Accuracy

+/- 0.001 MHz typical

Input Connector

BNC & N type (Others optional)

CPU Intel

Atom D525

Memory

1 GByte DDR3

Storage

1 TB HDD (128 GB Solid State Drive optional)

Networking

2 x 1000 BaseT Ethernet
(optional with 802.11g WLAN)

Operating System

Security Enhanced Linux, Embedded

Size

17” x 8” x 2” for indoor unit
11” x 9” x 5” for outdoor unit

Weight

4 lbs for indoor unit
5 lbs for outdoor unit (w/o battery)

Power Requirements

+12 VDC / 25 W maximum draw

Operating Temperature

0 to +40 deg C

Installation Options

Indoor Enclosure

Indoor 1U Half-depth Chassis

The indoor configuration is a 1-rack unit, 1/2 depth rack mountable standard
computer chassis similar to the configuration shown with a factory-installed
and integrated sensor subsystem (not shown).

Indoor configurations are delivered with a BNC antenna connector.

Outdoor Enclosure

Outdoot Pole-mount Chassis

The outdoor configuration has the sensor installed in a painted die cast
aluminum outdoor enclosure configured with a 20mm hole for a CAT5 or
other cable feed through and a cutout for mounting an N type bulkhead
connector for attaching an external antenna.

The enclosure is gasket sealed for protection from the elements and
meets a NEMA 4X / IP65 rating for weatherproofing and comes with a
u-bolt bracket kit for mounting to a wall or to a pole with diameter
up to 1.7".

Mobile Installations

Mobile installations are custom engineered according to the vehicle and
ruggedness requirements.